The Amberson House Bed and Breakfast: Waynesboro's perfect blend of history, architecture, and hospitality
Article and Photographs by Robb Helfrick
The recipe for success in the hospitality industry calls for a blend of comfort and style that exceeds everyday living. Add a dash of unique atmosphere and a pinch of pampering, and guests will always return for another helping.
The Amberson House in downtown Waynesboro has mastered this artful formula. By combining all those ingredients, this charming Bed and Breakfast inn offers guests first-class accommodations with a personal touch. “People come here and have a very different experience than being in a hotel,” owner Emily Bizzarri said. “We make them feel at home, and offer a unique level of hospitality.”
This home is an exceptional architectural specimen. Built in 1887, this red-brick building began as a home for Dr. James Amberson and his family. The house also served as an office for his medical practice. Amberson’s spirit seems ingrained into the structure’s DNA.
When Emily and Tony Bizzarri bought the property in 2020, they researched the home’s history. Impressed by Dr. Amberson’s life, they decided to honor his legacy by renaming the inn for him. Before they purchased the property at 128 W. Main Street, the B&B was called Burgundy Lane. The Bizzarri’s had enjoyed many nights onsite and befriended the former owners.
As new innkeepers, Tony and Emily went to work refurbishing and redecorating the house. They refinished the original heart-of-pine floors on the first level, brought in new furnishings, and modified and updated the interior spaces, including the guest rooms.
The Bizzarri’s brought some of their own artwork, and also found furniture and rugs at estate sales. “That was part of the fun of redecorating the house,” Emily said. “We found pieces that look great and are also durable.”
The inn has seven guest rooms, and each represents a theme. That creative element adds a distinct character to the property. The Amberson House has a traditional Honeymoon Suite, but it also offers guests more imaginative choices in other rooms. Within these spaces, unique artwork and décor bring worldly themes to life.
A suit of armor stands guard by the giant four-post bed in the Castle Room. African masks and rich colors add interest in the Out of Africa Room. The Magnolia Room offers a taste of the antebellum South. That room includes a private second-floor balcony, with a view of the house’s lush back lawn and its rustic carriage house.
Attention to detail is the theme of the downstairs spaces. The Lady’s Parlor greets guests at the front of the home. With tasteful artwork, upscale lighting fixtures, and refined furniture, the room conveys an atmosphere of relaxed elegance.
An adjoining room is designed as a Music and Game Room, sporting a gaming table and a piano. A few steps away is the Men’s Parlor, decorated with rich green hues and handsome furniture.
After a comfortable night’s sleep, breakfast is served in the burgundy-colored dining room. No detail is overlooked in this room either, as the Amberson House Manager, Chrissy, and her daughters prepare made-to-order meals.
Breakfast begins with a colorful fruit cup, followed by eggs any style, with bacon or sausage, French toast or pancakes. Naturally, coffee, tea, and fruit juices are on the menu. The staff also makes in-house cookies and muffins. Fresh-cut flowers add a fragrant touch to the morning table setting.
After a tasty meal, visitors can relax in the house’s cozy library. This room was once part of Dr. Amberson’s office, but now it’s a reader’s paradise, with custom bookshelves and a hidden cache of supplies for Appalachian Trail hikers. Waynesboro is an A.T. host community, and the B&B’s staff provides a shuttle service to and from the trail.
When visiting the inn, thoughts of Dr. Amberson and his family come to mind. James and his wife, Katherine, raised seven children in this home. Their two sons ultimately followed their father into the medical field. James lived to age 98 while living in the house. Revered by Waynesboro’s citizens, Dr. Amberson’s death in 1943 was front-page news.
A Graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Amberson worked as a physician his entire career. In Waynesboro, James was a passionate advocate for establishing the Waynesboro Hospital and later served as Chief of the Medical Staff. He was also Vice President of the Pennsylvania State Medical Board.
As a young man, Amberson lived through tumultuous times and served in the Union Army during the Civil War. He saw action at the epic Battle of Antietam in nearby Sharpsburg. Later in life, after retiring from medicine, James founded the local 80-Year-Old Club and was known as an excellent storyteller.
Before Amberson died, he was Waynesboro’s oldest resident and the last remaining Civil War veteran in Franklin County. His Record Herald obituary mentioned that when James turned 98, he reflected in a second-floor room here and wrote his “personal formula for obtaining a happy old age.”
The Ambersons passed down the Main Street home to their children, and several lived in it their entire lives. The last family member left the property in 1990.
Today, the Amberson House fulfills a newer chapter as a hospitality venue, catering to travelers and visitors. The innkeepers relish their role as hosts. “The people we meet are the best part of the business, and they share interesting stories,” Emily Bizzarri said. “It’s rewarding when our guests have a great experience.”
Emily mentioned a repeat visitor named Miss Peggy, one of her favorite guests. “She’s like a grandmother to me,” Emily said about Peggy, whom she takes for car rides when she’s visiting Waynesboro.
John Wickett was a recent Amberson House guest and shared details about his stay. He traveled from Indiana to Waynesboro to act in a Civil War movie being filmed at Monterey Pass. Wickett had an early wake-up call to appear on the set each morning, so the inn’s staff made him breakfast to go. “I was treated like family,” Wickett said. “They even baked cookies for the cast and crew.”
Six years into owning the inn, Emily reflected on what her family has learned (her sister, Amanda, is also involved at the inn) about running Amberson House. “It’s a hands-on business with a premium level of service and a higher degree of interaction,” Emily said. “Our family enjoys that. We have a great staff, and they treat our guests well.”
The Bizzarri’s take pride in online visitor reviews, written after staying at their Waynesboro property. “Our reviews tell the story,” Emily said. “They tell us we’re doing a good job.”
The reviews mention the “wonderful hospitality of our hosts,” the “one-of-a-kind atmosphere,” and one called the Amberson House a “hidden gem in Waynesboro.” Another guest mused: “Why would anyone stay in a hotel?”
The most enjoyable aspects of staying at bed and breakfast inns are the pleasures of traveling to a unique property, meeting fellow guests and hosts, and learning about the history and culture of that particular community. Amberson House offers all these qualities. This inn combines the ingredients of a family’s rich Waynesboro legacy, the style and comfort of a preserved architectural treasure, and the hosts’ welcoming nature to create a memorable hospitality experience.
